THE PHALANGERS 439 



are nocturnal, and while some are quite herbivorous, there 

 are others with carnivorous inclinations. 



SPOTTED OUSOUS (Phalanger maculatus). 

 Plate XLIV. Fig. i. 



Of five different species of Cuscus, usually about the size 

 of the common cat, the Spotted Cuscus is the most notice- 

 able, if only for the male's remarkably handsome coat. Upon 

 a groundwork of yellowish white are irregular patches of 

 reddish brown and black ; the white under parts are often 

 tinged with yellow or red, while the head and limbs are 

 greyish red. Other species are mainly grey and black. The 

 Grey Cuscus (Phalanger orientalis) of Amboyna, Timor, &c., 

 was the first Australasian mammal known to Europeans, 

 having been discovered and described as early as the open- 

 ing years of the seventeenth century. 



To return to the Spotted Cuscus. Its tail has the terminal 

 portion completely naked ; the feet are furnished with strong 

 curved claws, and the hind ones, further, are fitted with 

 fleshy pads, which assist stealthy descent upon birds and 

 small animals. By night it is as active as by day it 

 is dull and sleepy. ' They live in trees,' says Mr. Wallace, 

 1 feeding upon the leaves, of which they devour large quan- 

 tities. They move about slowly, and are difficult to kill, 

 owing to the thickness of their fur and their tenacity of life. 

 A heavy charge of shot will often lodge in the skin and do 

 them no harm, and even breaking the spine or piercing the 

 brain will not kill them for hours/ As the animals are 

 slow in motion, when disturbed, as they lie coiled up in the 

 trees in the day-time, they are easily caught by the natives 

 for their flesh ; and but for the rather sparse population the 

 Cuscus would speedily be exterminated. 



TRUE PHALANGERS. 



The True Phalangers are usually called Opossums in 

 Australia. They differ in various minor details from the 



